Weekly Volcano Blogs: Walkie Talkie Blog

Posts made in: July, 2011 (158) Currently Viewing: 151 - 158 of 158

July 30, 2011 at 11:17am

Filmmaker Harry Shearer phones in to Olympia

HARRY SHEARER: There's nothing funny about The Big Uneasy. Photo courtesy of "The Big Uneasy"

SUNBURN RELIEF >>>

Harry Shearer is best known for being funny. He voices Mr. Burns and a host of others on The Simpsons. He was a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live. He starred in This Is Spinal Tap and A Mighty Wind.

But there is nothing funny about The Big Uneasy, Shearer's documentary about why New Orleans flooded in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The film is showing Saturday in Olympia, along with a Q&A with Shearer via Skype.

To read Molly Gilmore's full story, click here.

The Big Uneasy

Saturday, July 30, 6:30 p.m.
$8.50, $5.50 for Olympia Film Society members, $4 for kids
Plus Q&A via Skype with filmmaker/actor Harry Shearer
Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia
360.754.6670 or olympiafilmsociety.org

Filed under: Screens, Olympia,

July 30, 2011 at 12:19pm

NIGHT MOVES: The Graceland Five, Roman Holiday, Mico De Noche, The Gentlemen Gluttons and others ...

Fling rocks The New Frontier Lounge tonight.

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

4th Ave Ale House Olympia - Downtown. Buddha Magoo. 9 pm.

Cryptatropa Bar Olympia - Downtown. Stacian, Adger Bacid, Squrm. 10 pm.

Harmon Brewery and Eatery Tacoma - Downtown. Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Orchestra. All Ages. 9 pm. NC.

  • Rich Wetzel and his Groovin Higher Orchestra don't mess around. When they get a chance to dole out the live jazz to what's sure to be a packed room Saturday night at the Harmon, you damn well better believe Wetzel and Co. are going to deliver. It's what they do. They're like the big-band jazz equivalent of an Under Armour commercial. Wetzel's been tooting that horn of his for a long freakin' time. He must protect this jazz house!

Hell's Kitchen Tacoma - Downtown. The Graceland Five, Dragstrip Riot, Piston Ready, Renagade. 9 pm. $5.

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Roman Holiday. 9 pm. $7.

Mandolin Cafe Tacoma - Central. The Horse She Rode In On. All Ages. 8 pm.

Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Olympia - Eastside. New World Waking: A Benefit for PFLAG-Olympia, featuring Steve Schalchlin, Saul Tannenbaum, Lauren O'Neill, Christina Collins. All Ages. 8 pm. $10-$20.

Le Voyeur Café and Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Family Stoned, Milk Music, H.P.P. 9 pm. $5.

Louie G's Pizzeria Fife. Bastard Of Reality: A Black Sabbath Tribute, Burning Lakeside. All Ages. 8 pm.

McCoy's Tavern Olympia. Mico De Noche, Pioneers West, Wheelies. 9 pm.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. The Gentlemen Gluttons, Deep Sea Diver, The Little Penguins, The Fling. 8 pm.

  • Keeping in mind that I am well aware of how simultaneously reductive and frightening this will come off, let me just suggest that I think the Gentlemen Gluttons sound kind of like a bluegrass version of the Decemberists. No, come back! Of course, this comparison is entirely unfair. Yes, while it's true that the Gentlemen Gluttons having a love for outmoded language and a desire to spin yarns about iron strikes and ghost towns that does resemble the ethos of the Decemberists, their reliance on banjos, mandolins and fiddles, along with the lead singer's almost Calvin Johnson-esque baritone, establishes them as something stranger and more unique than such comparisons can do justice. Their self-titled three-song EP drowns in the kind of dusty doom and dread that seems only accessible by banjo. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Northern Pacific Coffee Co. Tacoma - Parkland. Far From Genuine.  All Ages. 8-11 pm. NC.

O'Callahan's Pub & Grill Key Peninsula. Blues Attitude. 8 pm.

Old General Store Steakhouse & Saloon Roy. Jonathan Harris. 9 pm.

O'Malley's Irish Pub Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Ryan Purcell & Last Round. 9 pm.

The Spar Tacoma - Old Town. Tatoosh. 9 pm.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

Filed under: Night Moves, Music, Olympia, Tacoma,

July 30, 2011 at 10:07pm

ETHNIC FEST: A Fun Feast for the Senses

Robots!

For two days at the end of July each year Ethnic Fest turns Wright Park into a sea of people, languages, art, causes, music and merchandise. In its 25th year, the festival is Tacoma's liveliest celebration of citizen diversity.

I hit the park early in the day, just as things were kicking off. Tacoma City councilman Marty Campbell opened the festivities with a brief welcome from the main stage. Anchoring the west end of the park, the Kabuki Academy put on live music and dance performances throughout the day. I caught the demonstration of the shamisen, a Japanese 3-string guitar with a raw percussive sound. The emcee engaged the crowd by humorously announcing "three singers and one bald guy named Paul" and thanking the audience for "the many clapping hands" after spats of applause.

In front of the Multicare main stage, people staked out their spots, spreading blankets under the trees and enjoying pizza, massive sugary elephant ears, shish kabobs balanced on spiced rice, hot wings, barbeque slathered ribs, stir-fry, noodles and cheese covered tamales - all coming from the long row of food vendors along the park's outer edge. Sounds of world fusion, Latin beat and Middle Eastern music poured from speakers. Dances from Samoa, Tahiti and Korea were a visual treat. As the day wore on, crowds thickened and lines 15-20 deep formed for heaping plates of beef bulgogi, rice and kimchi ($5.99) at the Korean Women's Association booth. I wished I had room but didn't regret the tasty Jamaican jerk chicken pocket and coconut water I'd already eaten.

There's no swimming pool this year, though with the revamped kids' area and water feature "sprayground" (part of the slick, new playground at Wright Park) I doubt anyone missed it. Suddenly feeling the heat on my very Irish skin, I dipped into the shade at the nearest booth. I recognized Anita Jones, who has a NALI natural body care products line and vends at many local outdoor markets and festivals. "I try to be at all the best ones," she offers with a warm smile. She patiently explained benefits of salt scrubs and different soaps to those stopping by. Eying my red shoulders, she offered a bottle of blended avocado oil and aloe.

Jones' booth is one of many, a varying collection at Ethnic Fest, each stocked with all manner of trinket, garb and handmade items as well as mass produced art, crafts and wares. These booths fill the park's inner grassy area. A breeze brought with it the scent of roasting corn fresh from the booth Michelle Amiotte and family run.

An interactive art tent with tables and art supplies provides a place for kids to take a break from being waist high in a tall adult crowd. Along the northern side of the park I met Tacoma School Board candidate and University of Puget Sound professor Dexter Gordon. "Tacoma is a vibrant community. Look at everyone here today," he says, his beaming smile contagious as he gestures to festival attendees.

At the park's opposite end, the energetic, dance-off action on the D.A.S.H Center for the Arts stage drew attention away from the much larger main stage and garnered cheers, hollers and a lot of applause. Kids 11-years-old and younger showed off their undeniable talent, much of it hard to fathom. Unabashed enjoyment was apparent in their faces. Earlier in the day I'd paused at the same stage to listen to spoken word. Tony "Illaphant" Innouvong fired off a powerful, thought-provoking performance.

To the left, guys shot hoops just like it was any other rain-free day in the park. Plenty of families opted to bring their own lunch; coolers spilled out big bowls of potato salad, pasta and cold drinks. Some folks even brought grills; the scent from which rivaled the professional food hawkers.

Reggae sensation and local favorite Alex Duncan closes out the free festival at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 31.

Filed under: All ages, Arts, Events, Music, Tacoma, Culture,

July 31, 2011 at 8:59am

5 Things To Do Today: Anna Popovic, Puyallup Farmers Market, Ethnic Fest, acoustic showcase and more ...

The Serbian Beauty performs tonight at Jazzbones.

SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011 >>>

1. Guitarist Anna Popovic is fucking hot. Sure, that's kind of a low-brow observation to bestow upon a musician of Popovic's skill, but then again, she's the one who decided to wear nothing but a guitar on that album cover. Really, we're just playing along. And Popovic, who other publications have dubbed the "Serbian Beauty" (she was born in the former Yugoslavia), gives us plenty to play along with. She also gives us jaw-dropping blues. Check he rout with Noaln Garret at 7 p.m. inside Jazzbones.

2. Like cherries, handmade knickknacks, ice sculptures and free parking for your SUV? Then you'll love the Puyallup Farmers Market, a valley institution for nearly as long as cows have been tipped. Engulfing historic downtown P-town every weekend from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and drawing impressive crowds on a regular basis, there's no doubt Ezra Meeker would be proud of what the Puyallup Farmers Market has blossomed into.

3. Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza has more than one location. But does that mean it's a chain restaurant, catering to the lowest common denominator of food consumers? Hell no. Farrelli's may have more than one location, but its quality is far superior to any of those competing pizza makers - if you can call them that. Whether it's the tasty everyday menu or the all-day Sunday happy hour offering $3 domestic pints and $6 specialty pizzas, Farrelli's has our vote over the likes of other chains. So put that in your conventional oven and smoke it, Domino's.

4. You don't need to attend the annual Ethnic Fest to see Tacoma is a melting pot, but it certainly doesn't hurt to help you appreciate it. That's the power of more than 15 food booths representing a multitude of delicious tastes from cultures around the world, not to mention more arts, crafts and music than you can shake a culturally diverse stick at. In its 25th year, Tacoma's Ethnic Fest is easily one of the shining moments of each summer for this city. See why from noon to 7 p.m. in Wright Park. Read Jennifer Johnson's tak eon yesterday's ethnic fest action here.

5. The New Frontier Lounge hosts an acoustic showcase featuring Keith Cook, Keith Sturgis, Purple Perry, Paradign, KT Hoops, Nitai, Terhanin, Russian Shai, Looking for Lizards and Gone beginning at 8 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Happy hours!

July 31, 2011 at 9:13am

Ending tonight: "A Midsummer" in a park

It's true. It ends tonight.

LAST CHANCE >>>

Animal Fire Theatre's A Midsummer Night's Dream production is adorable. Not every joke's a corker, mind you, but remember that the definition of "comedy" in the early 1600s was that someone gets married at the end. A Shakespearean romp doesn't have to be joke-setup-joke like an episode of How I Met Your Mother. The plot, about mortals and Amazons besotted by magical flowers, is both dorky and disarming, and you can't beat the scenery.

The play's last performance in Olympia's Priest Point Park will be held tonight at 7:30 p.m. 

To read Christian Carvajal's full review, click here.

[Priest Point Park, Sunday, July 31, 7:30 p.m., donations accepted, 2222 E. Bay Dr. NE, Olympia, animalfiretheatre.com]

Filed under: Arts, Theater, Olympia,

July 31, 2011 at 10:11am

PHOTOS: Marrow's soft opening

Marrow's magic begins upon entering the Sixth Avenue gastropub. Photo credit: Pappi Swarner

WOW >>>

What's the quickest way to win my heart? Serve me a bowl of escargot with chunks of bacon drenched in basil butter and potato bread riding shotgun for dipping. Wow. WOW. From there, Marrow's menu continues its journey into the exotic gastropub fare exciting my taste buds with every dish.

My wife, Kate, Weekly Volcano food critic Jennifer Johnson and I had the pleasure of dining at Marrow's soft opening last night. The food is the star, crafted cocktails arrive as art pieces, the room is very neighborhood-y with modern touches and the vibe far cooler than any self-proclaimed gastropub has a right to display. Lead by Jaime Kay and Jason Jones, co-owners of Top of Tacoma, and Chef Kyle Wnuk, who set the culinary tone at Dirty Oscar's up the street, Marrow will be a hit.

Marrow opens to the public Tuesday, Aug. 2. Stay tuned for Johnson's in-depth take on the joint. In the meantime, I snapped a few photos.

Marrow Kitchen + Bar

2717 Sixth Ave., Tacoma

Filed under: Food & Drink, Tacoma,

July 31, 2011 at 2:09pm

NIGHT MOVES: Ty Segall, Nucular Aminals, Michael Sempert and others ...

Ty Segall

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

The Brotherhood Lounge Olympia - Downtown. Ty Segall, Audacity, November Witch. 9 pm.

  • You know those grating California tourism ads with all the celebrity cameos? You will never hear Ty Segall's "California Commercial," from his latest stellar full-length, Goodbye Bread, soundtracking one of those, despite the implications of its title. "Come to California / Stay inside your house / Stay inside your head" he sings, cheekily deriding sun-dazed do-nothing slackerdom over bam-bam-bam-bam-bam bursts of staccato guitar and drums. In place of a chorus, there's a squiggly guitar lick that carries the song to its abrupt finish line. At just over a minute, it's the shortest, tersest ditty on Bread, which, for the most part, is a steadier, more ramblin' and psych-fried effort from Segall, one of the West Coast's finest rock 'n' roll songwriters and a damn good guitarist. Ty Segall shows no signs of slowing down, so it's best you keep up. - Jason Baxter

Jazzbones Tacoma - Sixth Avenue. Anna Popovic, Nolan Garret. 7 pm. $16-$20.

The New Frontier Lounge Tacoma - Dome District. Acoustic Showcase. Keith Cook, Keith Sturgis, Purple Perry, Paradign, KT Hoops, Nitai, Terhanin, Russian Shai, Looking for Lizards, Gone. 8 pm. $2.

Northern Olympia - Downtown. Nucular Aminals, The Hive Dwellers, Hooded Hags, Morgan & The Organ Donors. All Ages. 8 pm.

  • Writing the intentionally misspelled Nucular Aminals is an act of superhuman will on my part. The silliness and implied hostility of such a misspelled band name comes off as a first test, an opening gambit to see just how many people can stick around to hear the actually pretty conservative take on garage and psychedelia in which Nucular Aminals specialize. Even if they hadn't been recently signed to K Records, Nucular Aminals would still very much smack of that label's aesthetic: lo-fi, '60s-devoted garage-pop that glows with fuzzy hooks and organ-drenched vibes. When those vocal harmonies sink in just right, an indie prettiness settles on Nucular Aminals that helps to reinforce the light touch with which they seem to approach most everything about making music. - Rev. Adam McKinney

Stonegate Pizza Tacoma - South. The Stonegators. 8 pm. NC.

House Show 626 N. State St. Tacoma - Downtown. The Warehouse Presents Michael Sempert, Luke Stevens. All Ages. 8 pm. $5.

  • In the early part of 2010, the popular underground venue known as the Warehouse was forced to shut down by the City of Tacoma. The residents of the Warehouse proved intrepid in their desire to bring exciting shows to the people of Tacoma, regardless of whether they had a permanent, proper venue in which to hold them. They - Adam Ydstie, Katie Lowery, and Doug Stoeckicht - became a collective of show promoters, and continue to book shows around town under the moniker of the Warehouse. To read Rev. Adam McKinney's full story, click here.

LINK: More live music tonight in the South Sound

Filed under: Night Moves, Olympia, Tacoma,

July 31, 2011 at 6:15pm

Tides Tavern receives some love

NATIONAL PUB >>>

The Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor has received some love from Sunset magazine. The August issue arrived in my mailbox with the bar featured in a feature about sail-up bars in the Seattle area:

Tides Tavern, Gig Harbor, WA
Specialty: Pint of porter or ale
> The premiere watering hole of Gig Harbor, with good bones - it has catered to locals since it opened in 1910 as a general store. Waiters will even come to your boat if you prefer a touch of private, onboard catering.
tidestavern.com

The Tides' back deck would be perfect right now.

LINK: Sunset magazine

Filed under: Food & Drink, Gig Harbor,

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